'There is always so much to learn from Aamir sir.'
'They wanted a character, who could speak both Tamil and Hindi. That's how I got on board.'
'A friend of mine said she grew up not liking cricket. She hated cricket.' 'But she said when I was watching your film, I suddenly had a life-altering moment when I thought that if this is what cricket does to you, then have I missed out on a large part of my life?' 'I got tears in my eyes when I read that.'
'I always gave my best, even to what people considered to be trashy content.'
'There are times when you give an audition and it doesn't even reach the director.' 'In such a scenario, what can I do? 'More than nepotism, it's about favouritism.'
'I don't believe in focusing on the bad things that have happened in my life.'
Biju Menon tells Divya Nair/Rediff.com how he transformed himself to play a 73 year old character, one of his most challenging and satisfying roles as an actor.
'It's all that pain that makes you the artist you are.'
If a phone under Rs 15,000 is what you're looking for, then this is among the best, says Khalid Anzar.
'It's been an up and down journey and every actor has to go through it.'
'I don't find characters that are not grey that exciting.'
'Captain Vikram Batra, PVC and his unit 13 Jak Rif did stand out because of the sheer magnitude of the task allotted to them but also the exceptional professionalism with which it was executed and completed,' recalls Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
'Now when I look back on the sequences where his character Manny is preparing to die, asking his best friend if he will miss him, I feel it's eerie.'
'I don't believe in the length of the role. But I definitely don't want to be decoration.'
If Indian storytelling can deliver, it can make the entertainment industry an engine of economic growth and a substantial contributor to GDP, says Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.
If IOC is not allowed to run its own affairs, then we can see it close down in the next 10 to 15 years, warns Sudhir Bisht.
'I don't know what my potential is.' 'This is not some sports where you can measure your speed and strength.' 'This is a continuous journey, where you discover yourself through theatre, cinema and acting.'
The difference between watching a movie on a laptop in your apartment and watching it on a big white screen is almost spiritual, notes Sreehari Nair.
'God will give you your due.' 'I don't want my due from people.'
'My definition of a true star is when they enter a room, the energy of the room changes.' 'She has the aura of a true star.'
Video isn't just about old school television shows, advertisements and tutorials anymore - short, crisp and engaging content across different formats is becoming increasingly popular in a world where stories are consumed on the go.
Paatal Lok is definitely a must watch show. The credit for its success goes to the writers who enthralled us with their unique characters, but also to the wonderful band of actors who grabbed the opportunity to showcase their frightening raw talent, notes Aseem Chhabra.
'Mahesh Bhatt put his foot down during Ghulam and did not allow Aamir Khan to dictate a particular moment in my performance.' 'He just ignored Aamir's objection to something I did in a shot we had together.'
'...it didn't make sense to me.' 'If the character was not adding (to the story), I wasn't interested.' 'The reason why I chose to act is because of the way it makes me feel when I'm acting, not for the fame and money.'
'I am constantly balancing, whether it's time with Saif, whether it's Taimur, whether it's with my mom-in-law, whether it's my own family, whether it's 30-35 days of doing brands, then 50 days of shooting a film... there's a lot going on...'
'Nothing comes easy, but I knew what I was getting in to.'
'There is never a safe choice in the movie business.' 'Everything is chance.'
'But it is a choice I have made, not something forced upon me.'
Transcript of Nikhil Pahwa's chat with Rediff readers.
